Schoolyards to double as city parks

In an effort to make more recreation facilities available to New Yorkers, dozens of Staten Island schoolyards are being spruced up so they can double as public parks during the summer months and on weekends and school evenings.

The transformation is part of $111 million expense citywide to avail residents to more recreation opportunities and provides another less-controversial example of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's broader effort to improve the city's environment by 2030.

By 2010, the city will open 290 parks on schoolyards, 69 of which debuted yesterday. 